In the News

24 July, 2024

What Makes It Tick: Exploring The Mechanisms Of Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome

Post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS), which may also be referred to incorrectly as "chronic Lyme disease," is defined by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) as the presence of fatigue, pain, and/or cognitive complaints with the functional impact that persists for more than six months after completing treatment for Lyme disease (LD). These symptoms occur in 10%-20% of patients previously diagnosed with LD caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and appropriately treated with a course of antibiotics. The symptoms of PTLDS can be easily overlooked or misdiagnosed as a psychiatric manifestation in geographic locations that rarely see LD. In contrast, geographic locations with a higher prevalence of LD may be more aware of PTLDS symptoms and have higher clinical suspicion leading to this diagnosis. The pathophysiology behind the persistent symptoms some people experience from a primary infection is still largely unknown. Some mechanisms that have been proposed include permanent tissue damage and inflammation, immune system dysfunction, autoimmune response, co-infection, and even persistent infection refractory to treatment. We propose that ongoing PTLDS symptoms seem to be related to an autoimmune response to the tissue damage and inflammation caused by the viable or nonviable spirochete pathogen. At this point, PTLDS is diagnosed clinically as no quantifiable methods are available from laboratory or tissue diagnostics as of 2024. Similar pathophysiological features of PTLDS are seen in diseases such as COVID-19 or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). More effective diagnostic approaches might include further studies looking at a possible connection in the genomes of individuals developing PTLDS, quantifiable biomarkers, common inflammatory markers/pathways, and careful histopathological studies of human tissues.

23 July, 2024

A Place In The Sun (British TV Show)

Danni Menzies is house-hunting on the beautiful island of Lanzarote with Richard and Catherine from Essex. They're eager to find a permanent family home in the sun that will offer daughter Jessica, who has chronic fatigue syndrome, and the whole family a better quality of life. They love the area around Playa Blanca, so Danni takes their budget of £300,000 to line up some tempting options.

23 July, 2024

GP Had Never Seen Anyone 'So Poorly Treated By NHS' After Woman Died Of ME, An Inquest Heard

A woman died of ME after her GP warned she had ‘never seen anyone so poorly treated by the NHS’, an inquest has heard. Maeve Boothby O'Neill, 27, was left bedridden and hardly able to move in the final months of her life due to the severity of her myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Her family believe her death in October 2021 exposed ‘a major systemic failing’ of the health service to both understand and treat severe cases of the condition.

23 July, 2024

Cork Woman With Chronic Pain Has €5 A Week To Live On After Cannabis Prescription

Olivia is one of around 100 people in Ireland who purchase legal cannabis under the Ministerial License scheme.

22 July, 2024

Southwest Virginia Health Districts Launching Long COVID Study

As COVID-19 rates rise in Virginia and around the nation this summer, the prevalence of long COVID is underreported. Virginia’s health department wants to better understand it, so it’s about to conduct a new study.

22 July, 2024

Long COVID Puzzle Pieces Are Falling Into Place – The Picture Is Unsettling

Since 2020, the condition known as long COVID-19 has become a widespread disability affecting the health and quality of life of millions of people across the globe and costing economies billions of dollars in reduced productivity of employees and an overall drop in the work force. The intense scientific effort that long COVID sparked has resulted in more than 24,000 scientific publications, making it the most researched health condition in any four years of recorded human history.

22 July, 2024

Survey Of Australians Living With Chronic Pain Shines Light On How The Condition Impacts Their Relationships And Ability To Work

Nearly 2,600 Australians living with chronic pain shared their experiences as part of the 2024 National Pain Survey. Two-thirds of respondents reported that chronic pain impacted their relationships with family, while nearly half had to stop working and almost 30 per cent had to reduce their work hours. Chronic Pain Australia wants the federal government to ensure pain sufferers are given quick access to multidisciplinary pain management programs.

21 July, 2024

Assessing The Quality And Reliability Of Videos Related To Fibromyalgia On TikTok: A Comprehensive Analysis

Fibromyalgia, characterized by chronic musculoskeletal pain and associated symptoms, poses significant challenges in diagnosis and management. While social media platforms like TikTok have emerged as popular sources of health information, their variable content quality necessitates critical evaluation. This study aimed to assess the quality and reliability of TikTok videos related to fibromyalgia, thereby enhancing the understanding of their impact on patient education and self-management.

21 July, 2024

‘Our Lives Are Shattered’: Teachers’ Legal Fight For Long Covid Support

More than 100 teachers in the UK whose lives have been "shattered" by the virus claim they have been left with no support.

21 July, 2024

UK Student Celebrates Degree After Being Struck Down By Health Condition

A student has been celebrating attaining a first class honours degree after having to cope with a debilitating health issue which left her wheelchair-bound early in her studies.